What Would You Do If You Were In Her Sandals?

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I wish to introduce you to two Tanzanians. One is a young man and the other is a young lady.

Charles and I have been having studies with Alex. He is a bright youth who seems to have keen interest in learning the Word of God. He is presently living in one small room. When we arrive at his room for class, Jacob and I duck as we go through the small doorway. Alex opens the shutter board that covers the small window. I sit on the small bed beside him, since it takes up much of the room. Jacob sits upon a small wooden stool that is about 11 inches off the ground. A chair is positioned in front of us to serve as a table, and I write each verse in Swahili as we go along. Alex seemed to be so amazed as he began to realize that we are no longer under the Old Covenant given through Moses. With his Pentecostal background, he is having a hard time. It takes careful study to "undo" so much falsehood swirling in his mind. Tomorrow he will be traveling with his sister back to his home village. We are anxious to continue our studies upon his return.

Charles has been having studies with Prisca. Her parents are both dead, and she now lives with her uncle and aunt. Some of her siblings and/or cousins are Lutheran in their belief and some are Roman Catholic. She has reached an understanding about the one church (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:4) and realizes her need for a new birth (John 3:3-5) in order to enter the body (1 Corinthians 12:13). However, her uncle (now essentially like a father) is against her recent studies. We know she is thinking about baptism, since she asked Charles about what would happen to her ears if she went under water. You see, here most people must carry whatever water they use upon their head. Cooking, bathing, and washing is all done by using water sparingly. Therefore, many have never been in a tub and certainly have never had enough water at one time to go under. Oh there are some who live near the river here. We have seen boys down in the river playing and washing. However, only those living near the river have such a luxury.

Here is Prisca's dilemma. She wants to obey the gospel, but must show respect for her uncle. And she is dependent upon living with him. I learned today that she told her uncle her wishes, and he left without speaking a word. This scenario helps illustrate why the Prince of Peace said: "Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). What would you do, if you were faced with this choice? Yes, we sing: "Jesus is all the world to me..." but would we pass the hard tests? Let's do two things. Let's pray for Prisca. But let's also take stock of whether we are allowing people or things or jobs to pull us away from devotion to Christ.
George 2011

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Comments

[Jim and Judy Marshall]

Prisca
This precious little lady has touched our hearts, our prayers are with her in the times she will have ahead of her. Thank you for allowing us to go before our Father in behalf of such a worthy little lady. In Christ Jim and Judy